Apparatus for applying mortar simulating lines on insulating siding



May 24, 1960 c. s. MUENCH 2,937,614

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MORTAR SIMULATING LINES ON INSULATING SIDINGOriginal Filed Jan. 17, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m ii/3 23.

UENCH G MORTAR SIMULATING 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 24, 1960 c. cs.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYIN LINES ON INSULATING smmc Original Filed Jan. 17,1952 I ru/rzi r. /Wuerzc May 24, 1960 c. e. MUENCH APPARATUS FORAPPLYING MORTAR SIMULATING LINES 0N INSULATING SIDING Original FiledJan. 17, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I IGIILIII III/I). r mimic-v:

mic-arm! J6 JnI/nfin (arid muerlai c. s. MUENCH 2,937,614 APPARATUS FORAPPLYING MORTAR SIMULATING LINES ON INSULATING SIDING 4 Sheets-Sheet 4May 24, 1960 Original Filed Jan. 17, 1952 United States Patent APPARATUSFOR APPLYING MORTAR SINIULAT- ING LINES ON INSULATING SIDING Cari G.Muench, Rancho Santa Fe, The Celotex Corporation, Chicago, of Delaware 3Claims. (Cl. 1183ib1) Caiifi, assignor to 11]., a corporation Thisinvention relates to a new and novel apparatus for use in themanufacture of insulating siding, wherein there are provided mortarsimulating lines and it has to do specifically with an apparatus fordepositing or applying a contrasting material in proper quantity and inthe correct placement to provide the desired mortar simulating linesbetween the surface elements of such product.

Insulating sidings are manufactured by the general procedure ofsaturating the surfaces of a suitable sheet of fiber insulating boardwith asphalt and with subsequent application to a surface of suitablegranular material tosimulate the type of surfacing desired-as, forexample, to simulate brick, stone, or the like. In the usual procedureof manufacture, after the basic surface granules have been applied to asoft asphalt coating on the face of the base sheet, the such coatedsheet is passed under a branding roll on which there is an upstandingpattern of the desired mortar simulating lines, and where the mortarlines are to appear the such branding roll presses the granules into andsubmerges them in the asphalt coating on which'they have been applied.The result of this general procedure of manufacture, it will be evident,produces a sheet on the face of which there are face elements of adheredgranules and between which there are mortar simulating lines which areblack due to the fact, as before stated, that the granules on theseportions of the face have been pressed into and submerged in the asphaltcoating so that what is seen at the mortar lines is the black color ofthe asphalt coating. It is desirable, to obtain an actual simulation ofbrick work, stone work, or the like, that there be applied in the mortarline pattern colored granules to simulate a mortar line appearance ofreal brick work, stone work, or the like, and the apparatus hereof hasbeen developed for the purpose of applying to the mortar linepattern thedesired material of a contrasting color to simulate actual mortar linesbetween the individual face elements, simulating brick, stone, or thelike.

In the normal process of production of insulating sidings, it isnecessary that the base sheets being processed be run in one positiononly; that is, they pass through the manufacturing process in ahorizontal position with the same face up at all times, which isnecessary due to the fact that the surfacing granules are applied to andadhered in a rather heavy coating of hot asphalt, with the-result thatthis surface must be kept upwards at all times during the processing asit is in a quite plastic condition and it would slide or be displaced ifany attempt were made to invert the sheet for processing with thetreated surface turned downwardly.

Various devices have been tried for applying contrasting material to themortar line simulating pattern in manufacturing this type of product.For example, one manner in which such has been applied is by theapplication of a layer of the contrasting material over the entire uppersurface of the sheet with subsequent operations for sucking olf, as byvacuum, the excess material which does not adhere in the mortar jointsimulating lines, or by 2,937,614 Patented May 24, 1 960 2 blowing offthe excess, why a combination of suction and blowing to remove theexcess. Such procedure is not satisfactory in thatthere are alwayssuflicient voids or openings or exuded adhesive here and there betweengranules of the element simulating faces, so that some of thecontrasting material adheres to the adhesive layer at such points withinthe area of the individual unit simulating surfaces, and the productconsequently has a somewhat speckled efiect. Efforts have also been madeto apply the mortar simulating material only in the mortar joint lineswith subsequent pressing, as by a roll with a suitable pattern on thesurface, but it has been found that the contrasting material depositedin the mortar joint lines flows over the edges of the mortar linegroove, or is somehow forced over the edges in the pressing operation,with the result that some of these contrasting granules are adhered inthe overall pattern of granules with a 'very disfiguring effect.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide an apparatuswhich will accurately deposit contrasting mortar lines simulatingmaterial within the confines of the mortar line groove, and which willprovide for securing such material in the mortar line groove withoutdeposit of such material on the background field, so that there is nochance that any such contrasting material may be adhered within thebackground field and thus the marring or disfiguring effect resultingtherefrom will be avoided. Also it is an object hereof to provide suchan apparatus which can be used in a continuous process of production ofthe product, the operation of which is simple and the apparatus itselfis what might be termed foolproof.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein the inventions hereof aredisclosed,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the transfer roll andassociated parts;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3; l t

Figure '5 is anenlarged detail section of a portion of the transfer rollandas'sociated parts;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view showing a part of the transfer rollsurface; and

'Figure 7 is a detail view on a still larger scale than Figure 5 andshowing in section a portion of the transfer roll and associated parts.

The apparatus hereof is particularly for use in a continuous lineproduction process for the production of insulating siding which isprovided with a contrasting mortar line pattern.

, Insulating siding generally comprises a sheet of fiber insulatingboard one-half inch thick and about 12" x 48" as the base or corethereof. It is to be understood, of course, that the size of the basesheet may vary with dilferent manufacturers,but it is generally of asize of or about as stated. In the manufacture of the product the basesheet is submerged or otherwise surface-saturated with asphalt to alimited depth, and then an asphalt coating is applied to one surface,the uppersurface in the process of manufacture. Suitable granularmaterial is then appliedto the adhesive asphalt surface coating andsuitably embedded or adheredto the asphalt coating, with any excess orunadhered particles removed generally While passing under suctionnozzles. The sheet so prepared with an overall background or surface ofadhered granules is then passed under a suitable branding roll on thesurface of which there is provided the desired configuration or patternto press the surfacing granules into It is usual that insulating sidingis provided either with a brick pattern or a stone work pattern, thatis, a simulation of brick work or stone work, according to theparticular pattern which has been adopted by the particularmanufacturer. When the background surfacing is submerged in the adhesivecoating as by branding, as has been referred to, the unit then displaysa surface which comprises a simulation of brick work or stone work orother desired simulation in which the individual units or unit elementsor faces thereof are simulations of a structural material separated bysimulated mortar lines which are black, since along these lines, as hasbeen described, the asphalt coating has been brought to the surface bythe branding operation.

Since a black mortar line between bricks or stone or the like is not anormal color for the mortar joint between such units or elements, it isdesired to apply a colored mortar line simulating material between theindividual elements or units, as, for example, white or slightlybutt-colored granules applied along these mortar line joints and adheredtherein by the asphalt which is there exposed, as has been described.The device hereof has been developed especially for the purpose ofdepositing and securing in the mortar line grooves be-.

tween individual elements or units suitably colored material, usually ingranular form, so as to simulate mortar line joints of suitable andusual color between the individual units or elements.

For the purpose of applying the contrasting mortar line material in theprocess of continuous production of the fiber insulating siding units,there is provided the apparatus disclosed in detail in the drawings,wherein such apparatus is assembled to a suitable supporting structurein which there is a base rail 11, a top rail 12, spacer members 13 and aroll supporting construction desig nated generally by numeral 14. Thespecific construction of this supporting framework is relativelyimmaterial and is merely referred to for the purpose of providing acomplete description and understanding of the apparatus. On upper rail12 there is suitably mounted a conveyor for conveying units which havebeen surfacesaturated and coated and to which the granule backgroundsurface has been applied and branded. The conveyor for conveying theunits through the apparatus hereof comprises the conveyor chains 16, theouter ends of which run over suitable chain driving sprockets 17 mountedon conveyor drive shaft 18, which in turn is suitably journaled to theupper rail member 12 and is driven by spur gear or equivalent, 19.Mounted on conveyor chains 16 there are provided cross members 20 whichare adapted to receive a unit and carry it through the apparatus hereof.

For the purpose of applying a suitable material of the desired color inthe mortar line grooves in the faces of the insulating siding units 22,the mortar line grooves being shown in 23, there is provided theapparatus as will now be described.

On a suitable supporting frame 14 there is jonrnaled a roll 25 which ismounted in journals or bearings 26. These bearings 26 are journaled toannular members 27 and 28, respectively, secured to the opposite endfaces 29 of roll or cylinder 25. A pipe line member 32 extends throughthe annular members 27 and 28, and roll 25 is in effect journaled onsuch pipe member 32 and in bearings 26, the purpose of whichconstruction will subsequently become apparent.

Roll '25 is a closed roll or drum member comprising the circumferentialshell and end members 29 so that suction may be applied to the interiorthereof, as will be hereinafter described.

A hopper 33 is associated with the roll 25, being suitably supported bysupports such as 34 mounted to the heretofore described framework of theapparatus.

Hopper 33 comprises an inclined wall which extends transversely acrossthe width of the apparatus together with side members 38 which embracethe cylinder ends 29 to form an open-sided V-like trough, one side ofwhich is closed or completed by roll 25 which is embraced by the hopperside members 34. At the bottom of the inclined transverse wall of thehopper there may be provided a flexible seal 35 which is suitably, as bybolt 35a, secured to the inclined wall member and seals against thesurface of roll 25. Positioned across the hopper near the top there maybe provided an adjustable gate 36 secured in adjusted position by alocking member 37.

The face of the roll 25 is provided with a suitable brick pattern, stonepattern, or the like, as may be desired,

and between the individual units thereof is recessed, as at 40, whichrecesses correspond to the mortar lines in the product being produced.The recesses 40, it will be apparent, extend only partly into the shellor face of the roll, and in the base of such recesses there are providedsmall openings 41 which may be small drilled holes or other equivalentwhich will provide for communication between the such recesses 40 andthe interior of roll 25. Pipe 32 heretofore referred to, and whichextends through the annular roll journal members 27, is provided withopenings 42, whereby a vacuum pump or the like connected to pipe 32 mayexert a vacuum or suction on the interior of roll 25 which, of course,communicates through openings 42 to the roll shell, and as a consequenceexerts a suction or vacuum effect in recesses 40. Pipe member 32,adjacent its outer end, is provided with a suitable plug, such as 43, sothat the suction effect as referred to may be applied to the interior ofroll 25.

Also within roll 25 and mounted on pipe 32 there are provided partitionmembers 44 which are secured to the pipe member in any suitable manner,as by brazing, or the like, or by any mechanical equivalent thereof. Attheir outer ends these partition members 44 are provided with suitablesealing means, such as the strips 45, which are mounted to members 44and which provide a seal between members 44 and the interior surface ofroll shell 25. These partition members are spaced substantially onepositioned on the center vertical line through the axis of roll 25 andthe other angularly spaced therefrom to contact the interior surface ofroll 25 at a point approximately at the level of the lower end of hoppermember 33, the angle between such partition members 44 being in thespecific illustration approximately The purpose of these partitionmembers 44 is to seal ofi a portion of the interior of roll 25 from theefiect of the suction or vacuum exerted through pipe 32 and the openings41 therein, so that atmospheric pressure may be maintained in theportion of the interior roll which is encompassed between the suchpartition members 44. It is to be noted that the openings or holes inthe pipe member 32 are so positioned that none of them open from thepipe into the space encompassed between the partition members 44, andthus it would be evident that the interior of the roll 25 will besubjected to suction or vacuum throughout the major portion of thevolume thereof except for the space encompassed between the partitionmembers 44 from which such vacuum or suction is sealed by partitionmembers 44 and sealing members 45, and wherein due to communication ofthe portion with the atmosphere through openings 41 such portion of theinterior of the cylinder will be subjected to atmospheric pressure.

Mounted above roll 25 in suitable bearings there is a brush 47 which ismounted substantially at the point where roll 25 emerges from the hoppermember, which brush roll is mounted on shaft 48 on which there isprovided a driving sprocket 49 which is driven by a chain 50 in turndriven by sprocket 51 mounted on one of the annular members secured to acylinder end 29. It is to be understood that the specific drive isimmaterial, and that any other equivalent drive may be employed tosuitably drive this brush roll which serves to brush any excess granulesfrom the surface of cylinder member 25 as it emerges from the hopper 33,as will be hereinafter more fully referred to. 4

For driving the apparatus there is providcda suitable source of poweroperating at the desired speed, and such may, for example, comprisemotor 55 and speed reducer 56. Shaft 57, which is suitably mounted tothe frame members 13, is driven from speed reducer 56, and mounted onthis shaft 57 there is provided a sprocket 58 which drives chain 59 inturn mounted on sprocket 60 which drives the main roll 25. mounted onthe annular member 28 which is mounted to roll 25, and there is alsomounted to such annular member 28 a second sprocket 51 which driveschain 50 trained over brush roll sprocket 49. Also mounted on shaft 57there is provided a gear 63 which meshes with gear 19 which, asheretofore described, drives the conveyor chains 16.

Suitable vacuum or suction may be applied to the interior of roll 25through pipe 32 by connected pipe 65 which will extend to and connect toa suitable source of suction or vacuum.

In the operation of the apparatus prepared blanks, which have beenpreviously surface-saturated, and surface-coated, and to the uppersurface of which the desired background granules have been applied butwith the adhesive surface coating exposed at the mortar line patterncomprised of grooves 23, as by appropriately submerging the backgroundgranules along such mortar line joints, grooves 23, are placed onconveyor chains 16 whereupon, with the machine operating, the crossmembers 20 properly position the prepared blanks on the chains to carrythem through the apparatus in registration with the rotation of rollmember 25.

It will be readily understood that roll member 25 has a circumferencesomewhat in excess of the length of the individual units 22, such beingequal to the length of a unit 22 plus the distance which'such units arespaced on conveyor 16 in accordance with the positioning of crossmembers 20 thereon. This spacing between the units 22 on the conveyor isthe arcuate distance encompassed between the partition members 44 whichare positioned within roll 25. As a consequence of the fact that theentire device is driven from a single power source through suitablegearing, chains and sprockets, the unit 22 will be carried through underroll 25 in register therewith to register the pattern of recesses 40provided in the surface of the roll, which pattern of recesses 40 is thesame as the pattern of the mortar line grooves 23 provided in the faceof the unit 22.

Suitable contrasting granular or particulate material is supplied tohopper 33, and as roll 25 is rotated, the pattern of recesses 40 thereofwill be filled with such contrasting material and will be retained inthe pattern of recesses 40 due to the suction existing within roll 25and exerted thereon through the small openings 41 which communicate fromthe interior of roll 25 and the base or bottom of the pattern ofrecesses 40. As the roll 25 rotates, any excess of the contrastinggranular material on the surface of the roll or protruding at therecesses 40 above the surface of the roll will be brushed off by therotating brush 47, so that as any particular recess 40 passes the brush,the recess will be just full of the contrasting granular material. Dueto the fact that the suction continues to be exerted through openings 41as roll 25 rotates, the contrasting material in the recesses 40 will beheld therein until the recessed portion reaches the position atsubstantially the vertical, passing through the center line of the roll,that is, until any such particular point reaches the forward edges ofthe seal members 45 in the vertical partition member 44. At such pointthe suction from the interior of the roll is cut off by the seal members45 and such suction no longer being effective to retain the contrastingmaterial in the groove 40 at such position, the contrasting materialwill be deposited in Sprocket 60 is,

the registering mortar line groove 23 in the face of unit,

22 since, as above stated, the mortar lirie pattern of re; cesses 40 inroll 25 are the same as or a reproduction of the pattern of mortar linegrooves 23 in a unit, and since the movement of the roll and unit issynchronized,

the contrasting granular material will be deposited from,

It may be desired to positively propel granules as they are dischargedor released against or into the mortar joint lines 23 just as orimmediately subsequent to their discharge or release from the pattern ofrecesses 40 of roll 25. To accomplish such purpose there accordingly maybe provided a third partition member 44a positioned within the roll 25and secured to and extending substantially outwardly radially from pipemember 32 and which may, at its outer end, be provided with a sealingstrip 45 similar to those provided in the outer ends of partitions 44,as heretofore described. 1

For supplying air under pressure to the narrow space just'preceding, inthe direction of rotation, the partition 44 which extends substantiallyvertically downward, and defining between such partition 44 and theabove-referred to partition 44a, a pipe or pipe-like member 52 ispositioned within suction pipe member 32, which pressure pipe 52 ispreferably welded or otherwise sealed to" the interior surface of pipe32 as by continuous bead welds 54 or the like. With the constructionjust described it is evident that holes or passages 53 may be drilledthrough walls of pipes 32 and 52 to provide communication between theinterior of pipe 52 and the space en compassed between partition members44 and 44a, abovereferred to, whereby with air under pressure in pipe 52the such space between the partitions will be subjected to such positiveair pressure. In connection with the foregoing, it should be readilyevident that in the rotation of roll 25, just as any point in thecircumference thereof reaches the seal of the substantially verticalpartition 44, the suction is cut off from the recess 40 at such point,and that as such point passes the seal 45 the recess 40 then at thatpoint will be subjected to positive 7 air pressure due to air underpressure flowing through the small openings or holes 41 provided at thatpoint, and that consequently granules at such point will be positivelydeposited in grooves 23 under the effect of such positive air pressure.It is, of course, 'understod that pipe member 52 will at some pointoutside of roll 25 pass through the wall of pipe 32 and may be connectedto any suitable source of air under pressure.

Although not previously mentioned, it should be readily apparent thatthe partition 44, which is spaced from the substantially vertically,downwardly extending partition 44, need not necessarily be positioned atabout therefrom, as shown in Figure 3, but, if desired, such secondpartition 44 may be spaced up to substantially therefrom, or anywhere upto the position of brush roll 47, in connection with which, of course,suction ports 42 in pipe 32 must be appropriately relocated.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 266,881 filedJanuary 17, 1952 now Patent No. 2,728,685.

What I claim is:

1. A granule transfer apparatus comprising a horizontal, supported pipemember, mounted for rotation thereon a drum cylinder comprising a fluidimpervious annular member and end head members, secured to each headmember a hollow trunnion by means of which the cylinder is mounted onthe pipe member, substantially radially 7 extending partition membersmounted on the pipe member, one extending substantially verticallydownward into frictional contact with the interior of the annularcylinder member, a second substantially radial partition memberextending into frictional contact with the interior of the annularcylinder angularly spaced from the first, the partitions definingbetween them a wedge-shape portion of the interior of the cylinder,passages through the walls of the pipe member and opening into theinterior of the drum cylinder exteriorly of the space defined betweensaid radially extending partition members, a source of gaseous mediumunder pressure opening into the space embraced between said radiallyextending partition members, a pattern of recesses in the face of theannular cylinder member, openings connecting the recesses with theinterior of the cylinder and sutficiently small to prevent passage ofgranules being transferred, means supplying granular material to saidpattern of recesses and means connecting the pipe member to a source ofsuction.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the means supplying granularmaterial comprises a granule bin having an open side positioned toembrace a portion of the outer surface of the annular member of the drumcylinder a brush and means revolving the brush, the brush mountedadjacent the granule bin, extending lengthwise across the drum cylinderand in operative relation to brush the exterior surface of the drumcylinder for removing excess granules from the surface of the drumcylinder and leveling granules in the recesses in the face of theannular member.

3. Apparatus comprising a granule conveying and depositing cylinder incombination with a synchronized conveyor, the depositing cylinder beingsupported over the conveyor and in granule depositing relation to sheetmaterial conveyed on the conveyor, the cylinder being trunnioned forrotation, the face surface of the cylinder being fluid impervious, apattern of recesses in the face of the cylinder, passages opening fromthe recesses to the interior of the cylinder, a suction conduitcommunicating with the interior of the cylinder, partitions within thecylinder, the partitions meeting and forming a common juncture anddiverging downwardly from adjacent the axis of the cylinder andextending lengthwise of the cylinder into spaced frictional contact withthe interior surface of the cylinder and its heads, a said partitionembracing the vertical diameter of the cylinder and the partitionsdividing the interior of the cylinder into a suction portion and apressure portion, means connecting a gaseous fluid source to the spaceembraced between said diverging partitions, a hopper mounted andembracing a portion of the surface of the cylinder, a granule feedvarying means within said hopper comprising a longitudinal supportmember extending across the hopper and substantially parallel to theaxis of the cylinder, an adjustable blade form member mounted on suchsupport member and projecting substantially tangentially to the surfaceof the cylinder, and means securing the blade member in adjustedposition to the longitudinal support member and including in thecombination a power source and associated drives mounted in operativerelation to the conveyor and the cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,503,665 Roberts Aug. 5, 1924 1,637,834 Oliver Aug. 2, 1927 1,736,633Schutte Nov. 19, 1929 1,842,111 Pater Jan. 19, 1932 1,908,445 ReimersMay 9, 1933 1,949,237 Bradner Feb. 27, 1934 2,466,718 Lobstein Apri. 12,1949 2,525,135 Huff Oct. 10, 1950 2,559,543 Muench July 3, 19512,644,768 Miller July 7, 1953 2,774,102 Campbell Dec. 18, 1956

